Reactive media-ink system for ink jet printing

Abstract

An ink/media set is provided having improved durability. The ink contains an aqueous medium and a dye or pigment dispersion as the colorant. The media has a coating that contains a hydrophilic polymer and a reactive component. The printed media is exposed to an energy source that binds the ink to the media coating, and renders the coating more durable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ink/media set having improved durability when printed, said set comprising: (a) an ink containing an aqueous carrier medium and a dye or pigment colorant; and   (b) a media comprising a support that bears an ink receiving coating containing at least one hydrophilic polymeric binder and at least one reactive component, said reactive component reacting with said ink colorant and said hydrophilic polymeric binder in the coating upon exposure to an external energy source after printing of said ink on said coating, thereby reacting both imaged and non-imaged areas and binding said ink to said coating.   
     
     
       2. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein the ink contains a pigment dispersion that consists of pigment particles and a polymeric dispersant. 
     
     
       3. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein said hydrophilic polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and copolymers thereof, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and copolymers thereof, hydroxypropyl cellulose, acrylic resins and salts thereof, sodium alginate, water-soluble phenol formaldehyde resins, carboxylated styrene butadiene polymers, carboxymethyl cellulose, mixed cellulose esters, soluble collagen, gelatin, hydrolyzed ethylene vinyl acetate polymers, and polysaccharides. 
     
     
       4. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein said hydrophilic polymer is polyvinyl alcohol or a copolymer thereof. 
     
     
       5. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein said reactive component contains reactive acid groups, epoxy groups, styryl-pyridinium groups, styryl-pyrollium groups, dimethyl-maleimide groups, cinnamic groups, unsaturated acrylic groups, bis-azides or organic titanates. 
     
     
       6. The ink/media set of claim 5 wherein a multivalent metal salt is also present. 
     
     
       7. The ink/media set of claim 5 wherein said reactive component is a constituent of said hydrophilic polymer. 
     
     
       8. The ink/media set of claim 5 wherein said reactive component is a separate compound present in said media. 
     
     
       9. The ink/media set of claim 5 wherein said reactive component is activated by ultraviolet light. 
     
     
       10. The ink/media set of claim 5 wherein said reactive component is activated by heat. 
     
     
       11. The ink/media set of claim 5 wherein said ink contains a pigment dispersion consisting of pigment particles and a polymeric dispersant that reacts with said reactive component of the media coating. 
     
     
       12. The ink/media set of claim 11 wherein said polymeric dispersant is an AB, BAB, or ABC block copolymer. 
     
     
       13. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein said ink contains a reactive component specified in claim 5. 
     
     
       14. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein said hydrophilic polymer is a polyvinyl alcohol derivative having pendant photocrosslinkable groups. 
     
     
       15. The ink/media set of claim 14 wherein said photocrosslinkable groups are cinnamyl, chalcone, alpha-phenyl-maleimide, N-alkyl styrylpyridinium, or N-alkyl styrylquinolinium groups. 
     
     
       16. The ink/media set of claim 1 wherein said coating contains an organic titinate having the structure: ##STR3## wherein X is a functional group containing oxygen or nitrogen; Y is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or arylalkyl wherein aryl is 6 to 10 carbon atoms and alkyl is 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or hydroxy substituted alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; or ##STR4## wherein R 1 , R 2  or R 3  independently are alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 4  is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.